If you have been sexually assaulted please contact your nearest Centre Against Sexual Assault. In Victoria, phone 1800 806 292. In the rest of Australia phone 1800 RESPECT

Reporting an assault to the police

In Victoria there is no time limit on reporting sexual assault
. This means you can report an assault that happened years ago. To report what happened to you, you can contact your nearest Victoria Police Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Unit
. There are also other specialist units within Victoria Police who deal with sexual assault, including the Sexual Offence Criminal Investigation Teams and the Sexual Crimes Squad.

What if a lot of time has passed?

When a lot of time has passed, it may be harder for police to find enough evidence for a case. It may be difficult to find witnesses and get forensic evidence
. If you want to find out more about this you can talk with the police about your situation, before you make an official report.

What about court and possible compensation?

There are time limits for taking offenders
to court (taking civil action) and for applying for compensation through the Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal. In some situations it’s possible to apply for compensation outside the time limit.

Talking to a Counsellor

Face to face at your nearest Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA). Call the Sexual Assault Crisis Line on 1800 806 292 and ask to be referred to your nearest CASA. Or see the CASA web site for more information.